Adam Silver says Ja Morant is ready to return according "to the best of his knowledge"
NBA commissioner Adam Silver on Saturday said Ja Morant is ready to make a basketball comeback and has fulfilled all the necessary conditions set by the league. The Memphis Grizzlies star was suspended for 25 games because of two gun-brandishing incidents earlier this year.
In his media availability ahead of the In-Season Tournament Finals between the LA Lakers and the Indiana Pacers, commissioner Silver said he and other league officials are set to meet with Ja Morant this week ahead of his comeback.
“I have been monitoring the situation closely, and in fact, we intend to have a check-in this week directly. Ja and I, folks in the league office together with Ja and his team, and the Players Association, have been in regular contact, essentially weekly,” Silver said.
“We together laid out a program for him over the last several weeks, and to the best of my knowledge, he’s complied with everything he’s been asked to do. As I said, we're going to talk directly at least once this week before he comes back. I think we’ll review the program and just make sure the conditions are in place for him to be successful.”
Ja Morant can return to the court on Dec. 19 against the New Orleans Pelicans in New Orleans. He can play his first home game this season on Dec. 21 against the Indiana Pacers.
Ja Morant's suspension stemmed from two instances where he was captured displaying a firearm. The first incident happened in March during an Instagram Live session within a nightclub in the Denver region, resulting in an eight-game suspension.
The second happened in May, as he was recorded flashing a gun inside a vehicle, leading to a 25-game suspension that commenced at the start of the 2023-24 season.
Since the second incident, Morant has committed to prioritizing self-improvement and his mental health to set a positive example moving forward.
“I want to apologize to the NBA, the Grizzlies, my teammates and the city of Memphis. To Adam Silver, Zach Kleiman and Robert Pera - who gave me the opportunity to be a professional athlete and have supported me, I'm sorry for the harm I've done. To the kids who look up to me, I'm sorry for failing you as a role model,” he said.
What are the Memphis Grizzlies missing in Ja Morant?
Once regarded as one of the deepest squads in the NBA, the Memphis Grizzlies have stumbled into a 6-15 record, which is 13th in the Western Conference.
Despite numerous injuries affecting key players like Steven Adams and Desmond Bane, among others, the most glaring void is the absence of Morant.
Memphis is 27th in the NBA in assists (23.9) and 19th in turnovers (14.3). Marcus Smart, who is playing his first year for the Grizzlies, is averaging 5.0 assists and a career-high 3.4 turnovers.
Morant, who averaged 26.2 points and 8.1 assists last season, will provide the Grizzlies with the fiery guard play and intensity that can help them turn their season around.